All electrical and electronic equipment require a steady supply of electrical power over their lifetime. On earth, virtually all electronic equipment receive their electrical power from convenient power lines connected to power plants. However, there are many instances where it is impractical or impossible to provide electrical power via a power line or cable. In the case of optical communications devices, such as satellites, navigation buoys and the like, light is typically generated through lasers powered by batteries, generators, or by solar power. However, these sources of power have their drawbacks. For example, batteries and generators often have short operating lives before needing recharging, replacement and/or refueling. Similarly, solar power requires the need for expensive solar cells that utilize large surface areas and are often expensive, fragile and vulnerable to the elements. Furthermore, contact with sunlight is not constant, thereby necessitating the need for storage batteries to provide power during times of darkness. These are critical problems for those devices used in space applications (e.g., satellites) or optical communication devices that are located in hard to reach places.
As such, it would be advantageous to provide a power source for an optical communication device that provides long-lasting, uninterrupted power to generate light for use in optical communication.